Lexington, KENTUCKY: U.S. Representative Geoff Davis announced his resignation on July 31. Kentucky will hold a special election to fill Davis' seat, which he initially planned to leave at the end of this term.[1][2][3]

Davis said a health issue came up in his family, and he chose to resign early in order to focus on his family.[3] He did not specify the health problem.[1]

As required by the U.S. Constitution, Kentucky will have to schedule a special election to fill the remainder of Davis' term, which ends in January 2013.[1] While the election could be scheduled as soon as early September, it is most likely to be set for the same time as the general election on November 6.[4]Thomas Massie (R) and Bill Adkins (D) are already set to vye for the next full term in the general election.[1]

Fellow Republican Representative Dave Camp of Michigan said "As much as he will be missed in the committee between now and the end of the year, I fully support and respect Geoff’s decision to take care of what matters most – family."[3]